


Infectious Smile

by Crooked_Mantis



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Clones, Gen, Imprisonment, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Mind Manipulation, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-11-19 19:32:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11320167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crooked_Mantis/pseuds/Crooked_Mantis
Summary: After the events of That Will Be All, Yellow Diamond orders a recreation of the original Spinel with the intent of erasing Pink Diamond’s existence from Blue Diamond’s memories. But a freak accident gives this recreated Spinel an unexpected but familiar friend who wishes to help her escape and rise to power.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Long-Term Memories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7811854) by [Swordaperson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordaperson/pseuds/Swordaperson). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This story won't make a lot of sense if you haven't already read the work it was inspired by. I highly suggest you read that story first, before beginning this one.

## ♖♖♖

* * *

Charoite replayed the video message, nearly unable to believe what she was hearing.

 

“Since it seems you’re too busy for a live chat, I will just leave you a message,” Yellow Diamond’s Pearl repeated from the transmission screen. “Yellow Diamond requires you for a project that only you can help with. She believes you still have all the data from your experiments on the planet Earth. We need this data, along with your expertise, to recreate one of your specimens. Namely-  _ Experiment 626 _ .”

 

Charoite felt her projection shudder with glee at the words. Finally, she could be of use again.

* * *

## ♖♖♖ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dark plan is brewing.
> 
> For those wondering, the symbols at the beginning and end of the chapter represent a character's POV. And they will be a common sight throughout the fic.


	2. Chapter 2

## ♙♙♙

* * *

Report

Experiment Data Over The Past Seven Cycles

Charoite 6KA reporting to Head of Project Charoite 2UI

Cycle 168 \- Experiment successfully performed a memory wipe on an insurgent blue topaz, of whom has been released back into society. Over the next three cycles we will prepare a specimen of a higher energy output, namely a carnelian we have here in the facility.

We are going to stress the importance of erasure control onto the Experiment over the course of the next three cycles. As of now it has only performed complete memory erasures. None being as careful or selective as Yellow Diamond prefers.

We have tasked the carnelian with going to the generator room as soon as the test is over. If she remembers to do this, the test has failed. If she forgets that the ship has a generator room, the test has failed. It is only if she forgets the task and only the task we gave her that we can call this mission a success.

Cycle 169 \- The agates effectively informed the Experiment of her upcoming duties. Unfortunately, in order to get the point across they overused the Experiment’s shock collar and now it is malfunctioning. We will require a peridot to remove and replace it, she and the Experiment will be under careful watch and guard and given proper form-concealing vestments.

Cycle 170 \- The Experiment was brought to the Lapidary Bureau for corruption therapy. We suspect it will still be able to function for another 195 cycles under this treatment. Unfortunate, given the fact that it’s powers, if honed properly, could do wonders for Homeworld society as we know it.

But that is aside from the point, I suppose. Practice runs have also been held so that the Experiment can prepare for the carnelian’s energy output. As an added note, a functioning shock collar has been reapplied.

Cycle 171 \- The Experiment’s handler has been complaining about her restrictions. Particularly that she is not allowed to enter the Experiment’s Cell at anytime. She expresses that she finds it displeasurable to constantly listen to the Experiment’s whimpering noises. She wants permission to enter so she can “silence the little shale”. I told her that so long as she and the Experiment both wear proper vestments and its gem is unharmed she can do as she pleases.

Cycle 172 \- The Carnelian Test was successful. An announcement has been made to all guards and handlers to take caution when dealing with the Experiment as it is now proven that it can affect quartzes. The next test will be held on Cycle 175 where the Experiment will attempt to affect fusions of high powered components.

Cycle 173 \- One of the Experiment’s vestments was ripped. It was reportedly the Experiment’s own doing, though the Experiment itself denies this and claims its handler shoved it against the sharp edge of a nearby counter. The Experiment is now being punished by the agates. We do not heed the testimony of mere items.

Cycle 174 \- Another corruption therapy session. The sounds that exude from the Experiment during these sessions is causing everyone discomfort, so we have applied a specialized mouth guard in addition to the usual facial mask. It doesn’t completely block the noise, but it is much better with it applied than before. I highly suggest it be added to the list of required vestments.

Charoite 6KA, Report End

* * *

##  ♙♙♙

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: This is the first chapter I've ever posted with more than 125 words in it.
> 
> Anyway, I'll try to keep a weekly schedule going, but if that's not possible I'll inform you immediately. Feedback, both critical and simple, is a great motivator and would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> You can chat with me and other SU writers on the Steven Universe Fanfiction Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/jZdyTpk


	3. Chapter 3

## ♚♚♚

* * *

She wasn’t crying anymore. She’d grown numb to her own feelings; quite a feat considering how confusing they tend to be. A lot of the time she wished she could be anywhere else but the space station. But she’d never left the station, it was all she knew. How does one leave the only place they can call home, especially when there are so many... forceful individuals who need you to stay?

She wiped the remaining moisture off her cheeks and faced forward. Spinel only dreamed of such disobedience in the silent moments she had to herself, in her cell. The charoites called it a Specialized Cubby Hole, but she’d learned by then that the agates call things by what they really were. And this was a cell.

It had two bright yellow destabilization fields across the entrance that functioned like an airlock. Their combined brightness made it so difficult to see through that she might as well be staring into Charoite 6KR’s mounted operation light. For that reason she always used to face away from the fields, though that stopped when the agates began labeling that behavior as disrespectful. So from then on she never took her eyes off them. She did not want to give them another reason to pull something extreme.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps from down her hall and she put on a neutral face. She’d learned a long time ago that looking too cheerful or too upset would only increase her chances of being disciplined.

To her dismay, it appeared to be her handler, Moss Agate, in full vestments beyond the haze. She knew now it wouldn’t matter what she was doing, she was either in for pain or an escort to the next test. She prayed to her Diamond it was the latter.

“Heard you whining, shale. Came here to shut you up,” Moss explained. Spinel knew she was lying, but said nothing.

“Things like you are not worth my time, so this’ll be quick,” Moss added. Suddenly, she slammed the bottom of her foot against the cell’s wall scanner. The gem located there was given access, and deactivated the first destabilization field to Spinel’s cell.

Spinel backed herself up, despite knowing fully well there was nowhere to go. The agate was already deactivating the second wall, when Spinel felt a sharp vibration in her neck as her collar activated.

“Put on your vestments!” Moss practically screamed as she pulled a non-destabilizing, but very painful, rod out of her gem.

Spinel tried to reach for them, but her collar was choking her. She stumbled onto her knees and crawled towards them. She could hear Moss laughing.

Spinel could not lie to herself. Even now, after cycles upon cycles of dealing with this scenario, she was scared. Terrified, in fact. Terrified of the beatings. Terrified of the therapy sessions. Terrified of her own Diamond. She was scared, and crying, and for one of the few times in her life, outwardly frustrated.

Before she knew it, Moss was right over her. She began shoving the facial mask and mouth guard onto Spinel, as forcefully as possible.

“Hold still, little shale. It’s time for you to learn how to shut up for once!”

Spinel’s life flashed before her eyes. And for a moment, nothing else mattered beyond her survival.

“Ah! Grr-!  _ NO! _ ”

And then, the unthinkable happened.

The agate stopped. The mask and mouth guard slipped through loose fingers onto the ground. And Spinel looked up, to see her hands, planted directly on the agate’s uncovered eyes.

Eyes that were now brimming with tears.

## ♚♚♚

* * *

## ♛♛♛

* * *

The world was black. There was pressure on her eyes. Something was very wrong.

She whimpered, wondering suddenly if it was Moss’s hands covering her vision, but that didn’t seem like something she’d do. Moss was not the type to confuse victims, she was the type to hurt them. So what was going on? She supposed, with a slight gulp, that there was only one way to find out.

She slowly reached her hands up to grasp the hands covering her face, and suddenly several unusual things became apparent to her. For one thing, these weren’t her hands. They were covered by gloves, when she had not applied any yet; and they felt heavier than her hands had ever been in her life. Another unusual thing, was the small squeak of something in front of her. The gem covering her face, presumably. She was certain it couldn’t be Moss now, so where was she and who was she with? She knew she couldn’t have been destabilized, there is always a telltale feeling a gem gets when reforming that the situation has changed. But there was none of that here. She had not moved an inch since Moss’s attack.

These thoughts all barreled through her mind in a mere moment as she grabbed the hands impeding her sight. When she pulled them off, she ended up being more confused than she ever had been.

Before her eyes, was herself. Crying, and shivering, and looking in fear of her. And when she looked down at her own body, she saw the vestments of Moss Agate.

“Oh… my stars.”

## ♛♛♛

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check back again next week for another update.


	4. Chapter 4

## ♛♛♛

* * *

“This… isn’t right,” she gasped. Her voice came out gravelly, and it scared her even more. She looked up to see her look-alike had backed herself into the far end of the cell. The mentioned double was watching her curiously, but with tears still on the verge of spilling over. She realized that she was giving her counterpart the same look.

“ _ I don’t understand. I don’t understand this at all _ ,” she couldn’t help but think to herself. “ _ I’m a Spinel, or I thought I was? There can’t be two, can there? Maybe I was always like this... but that doesn’t feel right. _ ”

As her internal, confused dialogue rambled on, she began taking off her vestments almost unconsciously. The sudden movement caused her cowering copy to tense up. “M-Moss Agate, please forgive me, I didn’t mean to-,” she yelped.

Moss Spinel, she supposed she should consider herself, stood up, and suddenly realized the massive height difference between her and- her. She stood there for a long time, trying to grasp the situation and her surroundings as her double stared on in silent, fearful anticipation. Finally, Moss opened her mouth to speak.

“I’m confused.”

“...huh?” her counterpart croaked.

She continued. “I am not Moss Agate, or at least, I don’t think I am. I don’t remember being Moss Agate, or doing any of the horrible things she did.”

She could see her tiny counterpart’s eyes widen with shock and could immediately tell what conclusion she had come to.

“No, it’s not amnesia. I think you did something different, because I do remember things, but they’re-  **our** memories.”

Another round of silence. This time, her counterpart was the first to break it.

“I’m confused.”

“So am I,” Moss Spinel agreed, “glad we’re on the same page.”

“But wait, what do you mean  **our** memories?” Spinel specified.

“I mean that I remember being beaten by agates, not delivering the beatings. I mean that I recall this cell clearly, but know nothing about the ship’s Agate Quarters. I mean that I remember last rotation’s therapy session, except I was in the chair screaming through that gag they call a mouth guard.”

“To put it plainly, I remember being- you,” she finished.

Her (duplicate? other self? creator?) friend stared at her, her expression shifting from one of confusion, to shock, and to horror as she began to piece things together.

“What have I done?” she muttered, her eyes wide.

“Hey, calm down,” Moss said.

“They’re going to shatter me for this,” she continued. “I broke the rules. 'Never affect any gem beyond the ones assigned in the testing area. Penalty is termination.'”

Moss, admittedly, felt like panicking over that detail as well. But something about the way Spinel was whimpering, and how small she looked, made her realize now was not the time to cry. Now was the time to be strong, like a proper agate.

“Listen, if we want to live, then we need to move, and we need to move quickly! I can get us out of here using Moss’s gem,” she realized as she said it. “From there we can find somewhere to hide so they can’t take us.”

Spinel abruptly looked up in shock, “No! We can’t defy them any more than we already have!”

“What? Are you dull? We either stay here and be shattered for sure, or leave and earn the chance to be free!” Moss reasoned.

“Where will we even go? We have nowhere to run!”

“What are you talking about? If we get a ship we can head straight to an unpopulated or gem-free planet and hide.”

“Do you really think it'll be that easy?” Spinel spat.

Moss paused, seeing the pain in Spinel’s face, and the exhaustion in her eyes. She understood her feelings, Moss remembered experiencing them before. But she didn't feel those same feelings now. She didn't feel helpless, she felt strong. Clearly with her strength they could make an escape. Why couldn't Spinel, a form of herself, understand that?

“No, but we have to try.” Moss finally responded. She walked up to the destabilization field’s scanner and placed her foot where Old Moss always used to, which deactivated the first field.

Spinel drew herself closer to the corner. “I can’t.” she whimpered.

Moss looked back at her with determined eyes. “I’m not doing this just for myself, I’m doing this so we can both be free. Now come on, I’m not leaving without you.”

Spinel remained where she was. Refusing to even look in Moss’s direction.

Moss sighed to herself and made her way over to the small, frail gem, and bent down to look at her directly. Spinel turned to look at her, her eyes now teary. “I’m sorry, it's just tha- waaaaaah!”

Moss picked her up by her underarms, and pulled her over her right shoulder like a sack. “We’re going whether you want to or not,” she stated, almost blandly. “And be quiet back there, cause once were out of this cell, if they find us, you and I both know they'll find a way to pin the blame on you for leaving. So don't give us away, both our lives depend on it.”

Heavy breaths left Spinel’s mouth, but no screams, so Moss took that as an ‘Okay.’ “Just you wait, veinmate. We’ll get away from all of this soon enough,” she whispered over her shoulder.

“Veinmate?" Spinel huffed in confusion. "I wasn't even made in a kindergarten."

Moss walked up to the next scanner and, being careful to balance both herself and her friend, placed her gem up to it, deactivating the last field. “It's the only title I find appropriate, so I’ll keep calling you it. Now, we can probably sneak over to an unused room. The charoites will be prepping for today's test, but the other agates will be around. So as much as I hate to say this, I’ll need to put the vestments and leash on you again so they won't suspect anything’s happened to ‘Moss’.”

Spinel gave a dispassionate ‘Ok’ and allowed Moss to apply the leash, vestments, and gag. Moss hated doing anything similar to her old self, but this needed to be done, they both knew that.

“Just think,” Moss said, “this’ll be the last time you ever need to touch this filth. We’ll be free soon.” Spinel only nodded.

Once everything was done, they walked out of the cell, their only home, and progressed down the hallway.

## ♛♛♛

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I'm going to be honest, I'm probably not going to be able to keep up a weekly schedule at all. Please do not expect this fic to have regular updates from the next chapter onward. I always told myself it'd be best to finish a fic entirely before posting it in any capacity, so readers would never have to wait extended periods of time for the next chapter. But I got restless and desperately wanted people to tell me what they thought. This fic was partially a test to see if I could keep up a weekly schedule, but it's proving to be difficult cause I honestly didn't plan out each section of this story in depth before jumping onto this ludicrous experiment. *sigh* Very sorry to say but this fic might be shelved for a while until I can get further into it, and that may take a while, and I might work on another fic during that time, but that doesn't mean this fic is abandoned.
> 
> Next week's chapter will be on time, I hope you enjoy it.


	5. Chapter 5

## ♚♚♚

* * *

Spinel’s mind was in a whirlwind as a- replication of herself in Moss’s body lead her to an unknown part of the facility. These recent developments were both terrifying and confusing to her. Of course she had always fantasized of an escape when she was in the cell, but now that she was out, she wanted nothing more than to be right back behind those blinding yellow fields. She would still be there if her new ‘veinmate’ wasn’t a pushy fool who was two times her size and sixteen times her strength. She never imagined she’d be gem-napped to freedom.

She looked around. She recognized nothing about this hallway. It was, in fact, the opposite direction of where Old Moss used to take her. So that means New Moss knew just as much as she did about where they were going. Nothing around Spinel was boding well.

A couple of times down their walk, Spinel could see carnelians and agates passing by or guarding entrances, they shot glances at the pair, but nothing more. Spinel was breathing faster and heavier with each passing corridor. Moss took a left into a part of the facility that seemed uninhabited. Several doors were unguarded and the few peridots aboard the station hadn't gotten around to fixing some of the wall lights.

Moss let go of the leash and began helping Spinel out of her gear. “You can calm down now, there's no one around here. We can find shelter in one of these rooms.”

Once her gag was removed, Spinel let out a deep breath and a momentary silence followed. “Stars, you’re a rockhead. If we weren't in major trouble before we’re doomed now.” she whispered these words in fear of being heard, but her tone matched that of a scream.

“We’re not doomed, not until they catch us, and they won't. At least, not if we're clever about it,” Moss said absentmindedly as she read the labels of each room. She stopped at one to the far right and opened the door with a scan of her foot. “In here, it's an old storage room. Should keep us out of sight for now.”

Spinel stepped forward into the stuffy, container filled room. “What's with the casual attitude? You said you have my memories, right? You’re practically me, but I would never act calmly in this situation.”

Moss gave one last glance through the hallway before closing the entrance. “Someone needs to think rationally around here. Why weren’t you willing to leave? This place has caused you nothing but misery your entire existence.”

Spinel paused and thought about it as Moss walked off to the room’s corner. She agreed it didn’t make much sense to stay in this place, but to her, there was never another option. Escaping was a fantasy, a fantasy she knew she could never achieve. She was too weak, Homeworld was too strong. Only a fool would attempt to fight them. She looked over to Moss, who was now scavenging through the filing cabinets. “I wanted to stay because you and your plan are delusional. Are you sure I didn’t fry your brain back then?”

Moss stopped her scouring suddenly, and turned to Spinel with wide eyes.

Spinel immediately drew back. “Oh, I am so sorry I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I just-”

“No, it’s not about that. Just look at this,” Moss clarified.

Spinel edged over to Moss and looked into her hands. A file with the words “Spinel Project: Experiment 627 Summary and Purpose [Charoite and Above Eyes Only]” greeted her eyes.

“Agates rank above Charoites, right?” Moss sputtered out. Spinel was about to remind her that they, in fact, did not, but she didn't wait for an answer.

Moss opened the folder quickly and started reading through the file aloud. “Experiment 627, if all goes according to plan, will be an exact replica of the original Experiment 626 which was notable for its abilities in memory manipulation. Both experiments should be able to erase, implant, and alter the memories of any sentient lifeform it has physical contact with.

“The reason we intend to revive this long forgotten specimen is to, under Yellow Diamond’s orders, alter a series of memories from- Blue Diamond?”

A long pause pierced their small sanctuary. They both took a moment to reflect on their sudden factor of importance.

“Blue Diamond herself? We were entrusted to be used on Blue Diamond herself?” Spinel muttered to herself in disbelief.

“...you were right.” Moss said.

Spinel turned to Moss, confused. “What about?”

“We should’ve stayed in the cell after all. If I had just assumed the role of Moss and we acted like nothing changed, we could’ve taken on all of Homeworld!” Spinel remained dumbfounded, so Moss continued, “Your goal was to alter the memories of a Diamond, nothing more. But what if you did to her what you did to the Old Moss?” Moss grabbed Spinel by the shoulders, her eyes shining at epiphany, “Replace her memories with your own! Then if the ‘you’ that will technically be ‘Blue Diamond’ could pass as the real deal... we could change Homeworld! And we still have a chance to if we head back now.”

Spinel felt sweat piling on her forehead and her knees start to shake. Every new sentence out of Moss’s mouth was making her already insane plot more ludicrous. To affect a Diamond in that way, to treat herself as a leader of gemkind, was the epitome of hearsay and stupidity. “This is- that’s insane! You’re going to get us killed!” she blurted.

Moss’s expression turned sour. “Oh please! You were just pining for us to return to your cell, now we can. And this plan is much more secure than the last escape plan, we just have to keep the charoites’s trust in your obedience. Seeing as you already- lack core, I think they'll buy it quicker than the newest pearl model.”

“Lack core? Are you calling me a coward?!”

“No! Look, that’s not the point. We have an opportunity here, and we’re going to-”

A long buzz from above cut her off. The intercom was live.

“Attention all personnel, Experiment 627 has escaped it’s specialized cubby hole! This is a dire emergency!” the announcer shrieked, failing to maintain any form of professionalism.

Moss’s hands raised to her face and she groaned, “Stars.”

“Everyone, please remain calm, we are going on complete lockdown as of this moment!” the announcer continued. “Report to your quarters immediately and set your doors to lockdown mode once inside. Multiple backup forces are coming and if anyone is caught outside their quarters they will be bubbled, no questions asked. We will report back to you when the crisis is over.”

Another buzz of static, then silence. Spinel whimpered.

Moss clenched a fist, looking up to the ceiling. “We’re not giving up yet.”

## ♚♚♚

* * *


End file.
